BY: ALEX BROWN
Russia produces a strain of urban explorers that North America fails to compete with. They are to urban exploration what Kenya is to distance running.
At the forefront of this proud national title stands 21-year-old Vitaliy Raskalov and 25-year-old Vadim Makhorov—though perhaps it’s worth mentioning that Raskalov is actually from Ukraine. Regardless of nationality, the two of them have been at it for five years now, pushing the boundaries of the (unofficial) sport and amassing a following with their unique brand of photography and videography.
Over the years they’ve scaled monuments including the Pyramid of Cheops, the Shanghai Tower, Cologne Cathedral and the “top star of one of the Stalin’s high-rises”—an impressive résumé to say the least.
Together they form the team “On the Roofs,” and you can follow their adventures on their website. If you haven’t yet seen their work, this video documenting their ascent of Christ the Redeemer is a good place to start.
